James e



(Mdel.)

J. R. COR'BETT.

FASTENER FOR GOPFINS.

No. 377,290. Patented Jan. 31, 1888.

ilNiTnn STATES PATENT Oriana.

JAMES R. CORBE'FT, OF ROCHESTER, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE STEIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE. Y

FASTENERT FOR COFFINS.

.fa'PECFCATION farming part of Letters Patent No. 377,290, dated January 31, 1888,

Application filed May 2l, 1987. Serial No. 238,945.

To all when@ 'it may concer-i2.:

Be it known that l, .Mains Connn'rr, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe, in the State ofNew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Catches, of which the following. taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in catches adapted for use on burial-caskets and like articles in which it is desirable to have a concealed catch capable of being operated from the exterior of the casket to release the catch from its hold plate or device, whereby the lid may be removed readily and secured by simply pushing the lid down, so that the catch again takes, the object being to provide a si inple, effective, and positive device for the desired purpose; and to this end the invention consists, essentially, in providing an eccentrically-pivoted lever connected to the catch and operating the same with a spring to cause the catch normally to engage the niortise in the securing-plate, or in the article to which the catch is applied, all as hereinafter more particularly described.

lt consists, furthermore, in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts, as more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In specifying my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings,ibrming a part of this specitication, in which, like letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the views, Figure l shows my inventiony applied to a casket to secure the lid at one end thereof to the casket, the edge of the lid being cut away and the end of the casket in section for the purpose of illustration. Fig. 2 shows an enlarged detached View of the catch, the catch-plates being in section. Fig. 3 shows a plan view ofthe catch-plate provided with an elongated mortise, the lower edge of which forms a shoulder, against which the catch takes. Fig. a is an enlarged detached view of the eccentricallypivoted lever and the depending catch made in one piece. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached view of the blank from which are formed the lugs and guidepiecc which are secured to the top plate which can (Model.)

ries the catch. Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view ofthe top plate, showing the guide-piece and catch from below, and Fig. 7 shows atop plan view of the top plate, l, and the eccentricallypivoted catehjournaled or secured in the lugs thereon.

c represents the eatchelever provided with a pivot-hole, b, with a depending catch, d, and the depending stud c', extending forward of the pivot-hole b, and the eye or ring g at the 6o opposite extremity of the lever, which is provided for the purpose presently explained. The lever a, with its depending catch d and other parts, is made preferably in one piece, either stamped out or cast, as desired. rihe lever c is pivoted between the lugs c, mounted on the top plate, l, as presently described. The lugs c are constructed best shown in Fig. 5, being formed of a blank, C, provided with the lugs c and curved portions c' and the 70 projections c c, which serve to secure the lugs c c to the top plate, l, when the blank C is bent into shape.

It will be observed that when the blank C is bent in form the depending parts c form a stirrup -shaped guide, c', into which the depending catch d projects through the top plate, l.

The projections e c on the lugs c c take in slots oppositely arranged in the top plate, J, as 8o I best shown in Fig. G, and are headed down, thus iirmly securing the lugs c c t0 the plate l, while the depending stirrup-shaped guide c passes through a slot near the center of the top plate, l, and forms, as stated, a guide in 85 closing the sides of the depending catch d. The blank C is provided with pivot-holes b b', Fig. 5, andthe same form a journal-bearing for the pin which passes through the pivothole b in the lever a, and the pivot b serves to 9o pivot the lever c, with its depending catch, ec centrically in the lugs c c of the plate 1.

In order to tension the catch d so as to hold the same normally into engagement with the locking shoulder formed on the article to which the catch is applied, or to the bottom plate, 2, which is provided with an elongated mortise, 3, that allows the catch to pass through freely when retracted, l provide a small spiral, s, Fig. 2, into which the depending lugs rco the purpose'of accomplishing the lifting of the lever a with ease I provide the said level` with an eye or ring, g, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, and a cord or any other suitable device may be connected thereto and the catch d operated t-hereby.

My invention, as previously stated, is fdesigned chiefly for use upon burial-caskets and like articles where a concealed catch is desir-- able, and at Fig. 1 of the drawings Ihave illustrated my improved catch thus applied to a casket for the purpose of securing one end of the' lid, or, rather, the head of the lid, in position.

It will be observed that theA head of the lid is recessed and the top plate, 1, secured to the under side of the lid, and a cord, j', secured to the eye g of the lever @,whereby the catch may be operated from the exterior of the casket, as l illustrated in Fig. 1. n

The bottom plate, 2, is secured to the edge of the casket, and the depending catch d engages-'with the under side of the bottom ,plate as a shoulder. rIhe bottom plate, however, may be dispensed with by simply forming an elongated mortise in the material of the edge of the casket or other article to which the catch is applied. I therefore do not restrict myself to the use of the bottom plate, 2; but the same affords a very desirable and merchantable article, since the entire catch is comprised in the two plates,which may be applied for use upon burial caskets and other like articles without any other fitting to the casket,with the exception ofrecessing the parts, as already described.

Y The operation of my invention will be read-` ily understood from thel foregoing and a consideration of the drawings.

The catch is normally engaged, and is disengaged by pulling upon the cord or pull f, which is attached to the ring or eye g of the eccentrically-pivoted lever a, and owing to the constant tension on the catch dexerted by the spiral the catch is normally engaged with a locking-shoulder.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tol secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a springcatch, with a top plate slotted, as shown, of the lugs c c, secured on top of the plate and connected by an integral bend, c', which extends through the slot in the plate to form a guard for the latch, substantially as shown and described.

2. The lugs and guide-pieces c c', provided with the projections e e, struck up in one piece and secured to the plate 1, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The plate 1, formed with a slot, 'as shown, and the'blank C, bent to form in one piece the lugs c c and the guard c', in combination with the levera, pivoted in the lugs c and provided with the spring s under one end,'and the latch d, formed integral with the lever and depending Within the guard c', substantial] as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed Y my name, in the presence of two attesting wit- 11esses,at Rochester, in the county of Monroe,

lin the State of New York, this 17th day of May, 1887.

JAMns R. CORBETT;

Witnesses: l

P. A. GosTIoH, Guo. P. Huss. 

